Automatic vestibule-curtain holder



C. M. HOFFMAN AND J. THOMISSER. AUTOMATIC VESTIBULE CURTAIN HOLDER.APPLICATION man sEPr,2s,191s.

1,348, 1 1 4;. Patented ly 27, 1920,

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V i Specificationof Iietter slfatent. Patf ted 1115 1920.

Application filed September 28, 1918. Serial No. 256,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES M. Horr- MAN and J OSEPH TI-IOMISSER,citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inAutomatic vestibule-Curtain Holders, of which the following is aspecification.

This invent-ion relates to devices for holding the curtains connectingthe bellows of adjacent vestibuled railway cars, and its object is toprovide a novel and improved fastening which becomes automaticallydisengagedwhen the cars separate. Ordinarily, the trainmen must unfastenthe curtains before the cars are ordereduncoupled and separated, and ifthis is overlooked the curtains are torn apart. The invention thereforeeffectually overcomes this difficulty, and all danger of damage to thecurtains is eliminated.

ith the object stated in view, the invention consists in a combinationand arrangement of 'parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, andin order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing, j

Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention, and 7 Fig.2 is a horizontalsection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig; 3 is a fragment of the device showing a slight modification.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes a fragment of thecurtain, reinforced at its free edge'by a rod 6, and here carrying anelongated handle rod 7. On the wall 8 of the car toward which thecurtain is to be stretched is mounted a device for holding the curtainin this position, This device comprises a pair of jaw members 9 and 10,respectively, having their opposite faces shaped to fit around the rod"7 when closed up. The rod 7 is tubular and fits loosely on a rod 11secured to the free edge of the curtain "5 by clamps 12. v The' andforked at 22 to straddle the shank, to,

which latter it is connected by passing the cross pin 19 through thefork branches. This lever projects from the top of the housing.

The housing 16 has outstanding base flanges 23 for attachment to thewall 8 or other support.

It will be noted that the outer side edge of the aw member 10 is notparallel to the longitudinal axis of the shank 13 but has an outwardcurve, and hence when the shank is drawn inward, the edge of the slot 15engaging this curved surface tends to force the jaw member over towardthe fixed jaw member 9. The parts are so designed that the hinge orpivot connection 14 is inside the housing 16 when the jaws are closed,and hence the jaw member 10 now cannot PATENT,OFFICE, 7

accidentally swing away from the jaw member 9 to release the rod 7, andbefore the rod can be released, the shank 13 must be advanced to locatethe jaw pivot 14 outside the housing, this being .done by the hand sidethe housing 16, the jaw member 10 is freed and swings back and allowsthe rod 7 to slip out of the jaws. The jaw members may be provided withthe leaf spring 10 shown in Fig. 3, for automatically spreading the samewhen projected, so that it will not be necessary to pry them apart toinsert the curtain rod when they stiffen from rust. We claim:

A holding device comprising a support having an opening, a slidableshank carried by the support and seating in theopening, a fixed jaw onthe outer end of the'shank, a jaw pivoted to the shank and positionedopposite the fixed j aw, the outer side edge of to the shank for slidingthe same in the the pivoted jaw engaging the edge of the positedirection.

openingand being non-parallel to the axis In testimony whereof we affixour signa- 10 of the shank, whereby said jaw is forced by tures.

said edge toward the fixed jaw when the shank is slid in one direction,and a hand I I CHARLES M. HOFFMAN. lever pivoted to the supportandoonnected I "JOSEPH THOMISSER'.

